B-PEP PLANNING COUNCIL

Tim Stevens Chairman & CEO

Valerie Dixon Vice-Chairperson

Lorraine B. Cook Cross C/O Freedom- Unlimited 2201 Wylie Avenue, , PA 15219 Secretary/Civic Engagement 412-758-7898 Coordinator

A. Odell Richardson Treasurer

Mary Young Personnel Committee February 17, 2020 Chair [

Lois “Toni” McClendon Hon. Tom Wolf, Governor B-PEP Radio Producer Lead Writer & Editor/ Commonwealth of

Stephanie M. Carey 225 Main Capitol Building CAV/ B-PEP Admin. Asst. Harrisburg, PA 17120 Sharon McIntosh, Youth Summit Coord. Anti-Violence Advocate Hon. , Chief Executive In Memoriam: Rev. Dr. LeRoy Patrick 101 County Court House Rev. Dr. James Earl Garmon 436 Grant Street Rev. Samson Cooper Reggie Roberts Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Rick Adams William Anderson Walt Bentley Hon. , Mayor Rev. Maureen Cross- Bolden City of Pittsburgh K.L. Brewer Lois M. Cain 512 City-County Building Monica Carlisle Richard Carrington 414 Grant Street Elena Chaffin Martha Conley, Esq. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Rob Conroy, Esq. Mary Evans Rev. Michele P. Ellison Monique Flowers Hon. Kimberly Berkeley Clark Hannah Goheen, Intern Navada Green President Judge Court of Common Pleas Elder Eugene Hanner H.P. Jackson 5059 Family Law Center Evelynn Hawkins 440 Ross Street Shayla Holmes Ron King Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Valerie Lauw Terrance McDaniel Errol S. Miller, Esq. Kenneth Alan Miller Ms. Lori McMaster, President Bill Neal E. Richard Phipps Allegheny County Bar Association Betty Pickett Marlene V. Ramseur 400 Koppers Building Beth Schongar Craig Stevens 436 Seventh Avenue William “Jack” Simmons Esq. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Schnel Simmons John Small Richard A. Stewart, Jr. Celeste Taylor Flo Taylor Natalie Taylor David Tessitor It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… Clyde Trent African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” James Tucker Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Matthew Ulich Cynthia Vanda Email: [email protected] Dewitt Walton Website: www.b-pep.net Shanon Williams Ashley G. Woodson Karen Wright

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Elizabeth Hughes, President Homer S. Brown Law Association Division Allegheny County Bar Association 400 Koppers Building 436 Seventh Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Nancy Mills, Chair Pennsylvania Democratic Party 229 State Street Harrisburg, PA 17101

Eileen Kelly, Chair Allegheny Democratic Committee 22 Wabash Street, #205 Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Sam DeMarco, Chair Republican Committee of Allegheny County 100 Fleet Street, #205 Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Dear Gov. Wolf; County Exec Fitzgerald; Mayor Peduto; President Judge Clark; President McMaster; President Hughes; Chairperson Mills; Chairperson Kelly and Chairperson DeMarco:

The disclosure of the extremely racially-biased comments attributed to Judge Mark Tranquilli as a sitting judge of the Common Pleas Court of Allegheny County has brought a new level of focus and concern on the issues of race and justice in our courts throughout Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We can’t help but wonder how pervasive Judge Tranquilli’s attitudes and thinking may have affected and impacted any, or all, of the cases involving African Americans over which he presided. This possibility is beyond troubling. The integrity of the courts is something that we all should cherish and protect as citizens of Allegheny County, and as citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is in this spirit that we call upon all parties to seriously consider what must be done to review the cases over which Judge Tranquilli presided which included African

“It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Email:[email protected] Website: www.b-pep.net

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American defendants. We also advocate that Judge Tranquilli be removed from his recently assigned administrative duties. The allegations attributed to Judge Tranquilli causes many in the community to wonder what negative actions he may take in his current administrative role which may affect African Americans. We feel that he should have no role in the justice system of Allegheny County, or anywhere else.

On a political note, there is no question that, over the decades, members of the African American community have indeed been the most loyal and dedicated to the Democratic Party. That loyalty, in our opinion must now be returned. It is imperative that the political leadership of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as the leadership of the Bar Association of Allegheny County, actively pursue specific steps, policies and procedures that will help uproot the presence of racial bias in the operations of our courts wherever it exists. We are urging that all prosecutors, jurists and their staff be required to periodically participate in implicit bias training. These and other steps must be part of a decisive and ongoing process that will become a part of the culture of the court system of our county and the commonwealth. We ask that all of you discuss how this can be done, and identify what steps are required that help assure the full implementation of these, and other measures that you might consider.

One of the requests of the Black Political Empowerment Project is that there be very proactive efforts to ensure the recruitment and the endorsement of many more African Americans to the courts, not only for the Court of Common Pleas, but for other courts as well. We call upon leaders of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, to actively contribute to this important process as well. We also advocate that proactive steps be taken to appoint more African Americans to openings which may occur in the courts of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition we seek that all of you participate in identifying new, creative and effective ways to add more African Americans to the courts, as well as the jury pools of both the County and the Commonwealth. Far too often when an African American goes into a courtroom the jurist is White, the jury pool is frequently all White, and the prosecutor is White. This scenario can be quite psychologically and emotionally challenging to

“It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Email:[email protected] Website: www.b-pep.net

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African American defendants, and particularly to those who are poor, causing a profound feeling of disempowerment with regard to their thoughts of having a reasonable chance at fairness and objectivity in the courts.

It is our hope that the embarrassing and troubling disclosure of the words of Judge Mark Tranquilli will ignite the beginning of a new day of fairness, equity and equality in the justice system throughout our county and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) and the Greater Pittsburgh Coalition Against Violence (CAV) look forward a concrete plan of action that will be pursued with vigor, and will be put into place as quickly as possible.

Thanks so much for your serious consideration of our concerns and recommendations.

Sincerely,

Tim Stevens Tim Stevens, Chairman & CEO The Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) Co-Convener, The Greater Pittsburgh Coalition Against Violence 412-758-7898

cc: , Allegheny County, State Legislator ; State Legislator ; State Legislator Austin Davis; State Legislator ; State Legislator ; State Senator Jay Costa; Esther L. Bush, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh; Richard A. Stewart, Jr., NAACP Pittsburgh Unit; Brandi Fisher, APA; B-PEP Planning Council; CAV Working Group; CEIR Working Group; Area Media

“It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Email:[email protected] Website: www.b-pep.net

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Sincerely, Tim Stevens Tim Stevens, Chairman & CEO The Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) Co-convener, Greater Pittsburgh Coalition Against Violence Working Group Facilitator, Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable (CEIR) Working Group 412-758-7898

“It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Email:[email protected] Website: www.b-pep.net

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“It’s a LIFETIME COMMITMENT… African Americans VOTE in EACH and EVERY election!!” Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Email:[email protected] Website: www.b-pep.net